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Two arrests in Owen Sound arson case

Tuesday, August 11, 2015
6:14:51 EDT PM

A 10-plex in Owen Sound damaged by fire on Aug. 10, 2015. Donald Wilson, 27, was sentenced to 12 years in prison today after earlier pleading guilty to 20 arson charges .The row housing has been torn down and a new residential building is under construction now.

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Owen Sound police had arrested two people by late Tuesday afternoon in connection with Monday’s arson spree, and at least one more suspect was being sought.

City police said in a news release shortly after midnight overnight Monday they had arrested a 17-year old Chatsworth youth.

He has been charged with 16 counts of arson endangering life and five counts of arson.

The teen was held in custody after a hearing later Tuesday. He is scheduled for an audio hearing next Tuesday.

Later in the day, city police announced that a 24-year-old woman was arrested by members of the Criminal Investigation Branch near the city courthouse on 9th Avenue East. Her name was not released, and either were the charge or charges she might face. More information was to be released later, police said.

“Our investigation indicates that we are seeking at least one additional suspect. Although we are making positive strides in our investigation there is still much work to be done,” Insp. Vince Wurfel said.

“We have significantly diminished the risk to our community in relation to a re-occurrence of these events, however we would like to remind the community to remain vigilant until all suspects are apprehended.”

Meanwhile, the on-site investigation surrounding Monday's fires was expected to wrap up by the end of the day Tuesday, but the overall investigation was expected to take much longer.

Owen Sound Fire Prevention Inspector Greg Nicol said late Tuesday afternoon that the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal was planning to wrap up its on-site work Tuesday, but they won't be anywhere near done their investigation.

"There will still be paperwork, lab analysis, that kind of stuff," Nicol said, adding he hoped to meet with officials from the fire marshal's office and go site to site one last time later Tuesday.

The city was hit by an unprecedented and devastating series of fires early Monday morning that left at least 15 families homeless. Owen Sound police are calling the fires acts of arson and announced early Tuesday morning that they had arrested and charged a 17-year-old Chatsworth teen in relation to the fires. Police said in a news release Tuesday morning that the investigation was continuing and more arrests were imminent.

The investigation is being led by Owen Sound police with the assistance of the fire marshal's office and the city's fire department.

While police were investigating seven scenes in total, the worst of the fires were in the area of 15th St. E., where one home was destroyed and two others were left heavily damaged, and around the corner on 4th Ave. E., where the majority of a 10-plex was gutted and a duplex further south was also heavily damaged. A fire at the former McKay Building on 2nd Ave. E., a shed that burned at the corner of 17th St. E. and 6th Ave. E., a vehicle parked at the 10-plex and the attempted burning of a shed on 4th Ave. E. south of 13th St. E. were also part of the investigation.

At about 3 p.m. on Tuesday, the scene in the area of 15th St. E and 4th Ave. E. continued to be a hive of activity.

While the St. Mary's hill was being reopened to traffic Tuesday afternoon, 4th Ave. E. between 13th St. E. and 15th St. E., and the 300 block of 14th St. E. remained closed.

Four fire marshal's vehicles remained parked outside the 10-plex along with Union Gas, police and property restoration vehicles. A hydrovac truck was also parked out front.

Around the corner on 15th St. E., the home that had been completely destroyed, along with the two adjacent homes that had been heavily damaged, were fenced off with no trespassing signs posted on the fence.

The duplex further south on 4th Ave. E. also had a pair of fire marshal's vehicles parked outside, along with property restoration vehicles.

Nicol said it was still unknown what would become of the buildings that had been damaged in the fires.

"The portions we knocked down, some were for safety and some were so the investigation could start," said Nicol.